The invention relates to a segmented seal carrier for a turbomachine according to the present invention, an adjustable guide ring, and a turbomachine.
The seal carrier according to the invention is used as follows, for example, in a turbomachine. For establishing optimal operating conditions, turbomachines such as aircraft engines and stationary gas turbines have, on the compressor side, at least one adjustable row of guide vanes having a plurality of guide vanes that can pivot around their vertical axis. The row of guide vanes forms with an inner ring a so-called adjustable guide vane ring. The inner ring serves for the stabilizing or for the radially inner bearing of the guide vanes. An outer bearing of the guide vanes as well as the actuation thereof is carried out via adjusting journals of the guide vanes that interact with a corresponding adjustment means. On or at the inner ring is guided a seal carrier that is provided with sealing elements or abradable layers, opposite which lie sealing fins on the rotor side.
Basically, the danger of the so-called chording effect is present. The chording effect means a thermal deformation of the inner ring, because its outer side, which is on the side of the hot gas, is heated more intensely than its inner side. The chording effect can lead to the fact that in their contact regions, the segments are pressed radially inward onto opposite-lying sealing fins on the rotor side during transient operating states of the aircraft engine, so that this leads to an increased run-in of the sealing fins into the sealing elements of the seal carrier, especially at the contact regions. In the case of known seal carriers, it is sought to counteract this deformation by a fitting or gland. A gland, however, is relatively expensive and requires space for construction or assembly.
It is pointed out that the above-named prior art is named only by way of example and a seal carrier is not limited to application in an adjustable guide vane ring.